By Ginika Igboke
President Donald Trump said U.S. forces will remain deployed in the Middle East until the ongoing U.S. military operation involving Iran is completed.
“It costs us very little to keep them there. I don’t consider them in danger,” Trump said during an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press on June 7.
“I think we’ll keep them there until such time as we have a completion, and when we have a completion, you will see things as you’ve never seen,” he added. “The oil will go down, the stock market already, as you know, it’s hit an all-time high.”
U.S. Troop Presence and Casualties
Trump said roughly 50,000 U.S. troops are currently deployed across the region. He stated that 13 service members have been killed since the conflict began on Feb. 28, calling the losses “too many, but less than anybody has ever even envisioned.”
He also said U.S. strikes have severely weakened Iran’s leadership structure, disrupted its command chain, and eliminated its naval capabilities.
Ongoing Negotiations With Iran
A multi-month ceasefire between the United States and Iran remains in place as negotiations continue over ending the conflict.
Trump expressed optimism about the talks, saying progress is being made with Iran’s current leadership.
“We’re having very good negotiations with the people that are leading the country now,” he said. “It’s the third group that we’ve been dealing with, and they are different… I find them to be more rational, very smart.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told senators earlier that Iranian officials have shown willingness to discuss aspects of their nuclear program. Trump added that Iranian representatives have acknowledged they will not obtain nuclear weapons.
Nuclear Deal Proposals and Enforcement Options
Trump said the United States is open to a potential agreement that would involve jointly removing and destroying Iran’s enriched uranium stockpiles.
“If we make a deal, now we’re friendly, we’ll all go together,” he said. “It’ll be our equipment. We’ll take it out and destroy it.”
However, he warned that military action remains an option if diplomacy fails.
“If we don’t make a deal, then we’re going to take them out militarily, very harshly,” he said.
Strait of Hormuz Blockade and Economic Pressure
The administration continues to enforce restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route for oil exports.
Trump said the blockade is significantly affecting Iran’s economy, claiming losses of $400 million to $500 million per day.
“They’re losing $400 million to $500 million a day,” he said. “It’s not sustainable for them. They have an economy that’s shot.”
Trump Downplays Conflict Label
Despite ongoing military operations and regional tensions, Trump said he does not consider the situation a formal war.
Instead, he described it as a “military exercise,” while maintaining that U.S. forces would remain engaged until the mission is completed.
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